The ending culmination of Side a Day until Turkey Day: Food Parables signature baked mac and cheese. Extra saucy center, crispy top, and the side that earns a permanent spot on your table. 🧀🔥 📌 Today’s Verse: “And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 👨‍🍳 Food Parables Signature Baked Cavatappi Mac and Cheese Servings: 6 to 8 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 to 22 minutes Total Time: 40 to 45 minutes 🥣 Ingredients Pasta 300 g (about 3 cups dry) Sauce base Unsalted butter 56 g (4 tablespoons) All purpose flour 32 g (4 tablespoons) Whole milk 540 ml (2 1/4 cups) Heavy cream 240 ml (1 cup) Cream cheese 56 g (2 ounces) Roasted garlic paste 10 g (2 teaspoons) or 2 cloves minced Egg yolk 1 Cheese blend Extra sharp cheddar, shredded 170 g (1 1/2 cups) Gruyère, shredded 115 g (1 cup) Colby Jack, shredded 115 g (1 cup) Low moisture mozzarella, shredded 85 g (3/4 cup) Parmesan, finely grated 40 g (1/3 cup) Seasoning Kosher salt 5 g (1 teaspoon) Black pepper 1 g (1/2 teaspoon) Garlic powder 1 g (1/2 teaspoon) Onion powder 1 g (1/2 teaspoon) Mustard powder 1 g (1/2 teaspoon) Smoked paprika pinch Garlic herb panko topping Panko breadcrumbs 60 g (1 cup) Butter, melted 28 g (2 tablespoons) Parmesan 20 g (2 tablespoons) Dried parsley 1 teaspoon Black pepper pinch Smoked paprika pinch 🥄 Instructions Boil pasta in salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente, drain, and toss in a little oil Melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute Slowly whisk in milk and cream, simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened, then whisk in cream cheese and roasted garlic until silky Temper the egg yolk with a little hot sauce and whisk it back in Turn heat to low, add cheddar, Gruyère, Colby Jack, mozzarella, and Parmesan, and stir until fully melted and smooth Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and smoked paprika, then taste and adjust Fold in pasta until every ridge is coated and pour into a buttered 7x9 baking dish Stir panko, melted butter, Parmesan, parsley, pepper, and smoked paprika together and sprinkle over top Bake at 350°F for 20 to 22 minutes until creamy and bubbling, then broil 20 to 40 seconds if you want extra browning Rest 5 minutes so the sauce settles into that perfect scoop 💡 Pro Tip: Freshly shredded cheese only. Mozzarella gives the stretch, cream cheese and yolk keep it creamy after resting, and Gruyère sneaks in that deep flavor that makes this taste like “the mac” instead of just mac and cheese. #SideADay #SideADayUntilTurkeyDay #ThanksgivingSides #MacAndCheese #BakedMacAndCheese #Cavatappi #HolidayCooking #ComfortFood #FromScratch #CheesePull #foodtoker #CookingTok #FoodParables #SouthernCooking #HolidayCooking #FromScratch #sidedish #sidedishrecipe #sidedishrecipes #sidedishes #easysidedishrecipes #easysidedish #HomeCooking #macncheese - @foodparables